ENB @ Rotterdam Convention INC-11 and COP-1, Geneva, Switzerland 18-24 September 2004

	Eleventh session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for an International Legally Binding Instrument for the Application of the Prior Informed Consent Procedure (PIC) for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade (INC-11) Geneva, Switzerland; 18 September 2004 First meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade Geneva, Switzerland; 20 - 24 September 2004

Earth Negotiations Bulletin - ENB

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Sat 18
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INC-11 Highlights for Saturday, 18 September 2004

The eleventh session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-11) for an International Legally Binding Instrument for the Application of the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade met on Saturday, September 18, in Geneva. Following opening statements and organizational matters, delegates discussed the inclusion of additional chemicals in the interim PIC Procedure. The INC agreed to make parathion and tetraethyl and tetramethyl lead subject to the interim PIC Procedure, but failed to reach consensus on the addition of chrysotile asbestos. Above photo: Bird's eye view of the plenary during INC-11.

Opening Plenary:

INC Chair Maria Celina de Azevedo Rodrigues (Brazil) (right photo) welcomed delegates to the one-day INC-11 session, convened as a Conference of Plenipotentiaries, and introduced the opening speakers.

Louise Fresco, FAO Assistant Director-General, noted the lessons learned in the areas of developing processes during the interim period; policy coherence on international and national levels; and interagency cooperation, particularly between UNEP and FAO.

Shafqat Kakakhel, UNEP Deputy Executive Director, noted that the chemicals to be addressed by INC-11 are widely known for their adverse effects on human health and the environment.


The UNITED STATES proposed an amendment clarifying that the resolution supplements paragraph 8 of the Resolution on Interim Arrangements. The resolution was approved as amended by the United States. Above photo: Himamauli Das (US)	Jim Willis, Joint Executive Secretary for the Interim Secretariat of the Rotterdam Convention (UNEP), noted that the resolution gives INC-11 the authority to add chemicals to the interim PIC procedure.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INTERIM PRIOR INFORMED CONSENT PROCEDURE: REPORT OF ICRC-5


ICRC Chair Reiner Arndt introduced the report of the Committee at its fifth session (UNEP/FAO/PIC/INC.11/3).	The EUROPEAN COMMUNITY supported forwarding the explanatory note on risk assessment. Above photo: Klaus Berend (EC)

INCLUSION OF CHEMICALS IN THE INTERIM PRIOR INFORMED CONSENT PROCEDURE:

Chrysotile asbestos:


CHILE spoke in favor of including chrysotile asbestos in the interim PIC procedure. Above photo: Rodrigo Espinosa (Chile)	CANADA stated that it does not support including chrysotile asbestos in the PIC procedure at this time. Above photo: Barry Stemshorn (Canada)

INDIA and CHINA indicated their opposition to including chrysotile. Above photos L-R: Ramesh Inder Singh (India) and Ruisheng Yue (China)

Above photos L-R: Carolyn Vickers (WHO), Clifton Curtis (WWF), Laurie Kazan-Allen (International Ban Asbestos Secretariat)

CLOSING PLENARY :

Above photos: Joint Executive Secretaries Jim Willis (UNEP) and Niek van der Graaf (FAO) presented Chair de Azevedo Rodrigues and ICRC Chair Arndt with a token of their appreciation. Chair de Azevedo Rodrigues gaveled the meeting to a close at 4:15 pm.

This service was prepared in cooperation with the Rotterdam Convention Secretariat

Links

INC-11 and COP-1 documents
UNEP Chemicals Unit
ENB coverage of INC-10
ENB coverage of meetings regarding chemicals management
ENB Brief Introduction to the Rotterdam PIC Convention
Chrysotile Institute
The International Ban Asbestos Secretariat
Rotterdam Convention

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